Typewriting device



April 17, 1956 R. M. PETIT l TYPEWRITING DEVICE Filed April 27. 1953 D Manin-r United States Patent O TYPEWRITING DEVICE Roger Marceau Petit, Clichy,

thirds to Socit Dimas and one-third to Socit Barfred, Casablanca, Morocco, corporations of Morocco France, assigner of two- My invention relates to operating means in power operated typewriters or similar machines such as calculating and tabulating machines, in which the operative machine element such as a type bar is not controlled directly by an actuating machine element such as a key bar but by an auxiliary operating device interposed between said machine elements. In known machines said auxiliary operating devices were electric or electromagnetic devices which were intricate and expensive.

The object of my invention is to provide operating means of the said type which are inexpensive, simple in construction and reliable in operation.

According to my invention l insert between the machine element to be actuated, for example the type bar, and its operating element,V for example the key bar, a flexible connector which in inoperative position is loosely looped around a continuously rotating driving member and which when tighcned upon said driving member will elect the desired operational movement for example of the type bar.

The said and other objects of my invention will be more fully understood from the following specification when read with the accompanying drawing in which two embodments of my invention are schematically illustrated in Figs. l and 2, respectively.

My typewriter as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, comprises a platen 1 mounted in customary manner in the machine frame which is not shown in the drawing. A plurality of type bars 3 of which only one is shown are swingably mounted in the machine frame. Each type bar 3 carrying conventional specific types 2 is pivoted in the machine frame on a pin or the like 4 and is supported in the shown rest position by a stationary pad 5 or the like. A spring 6 attached with one end at 7 to the machine frame and with its other end at 8 to the type bar 3 tends to hold the same in and to return the same into the shown rest position. The type bar 3 is actuated that is swung from its shown rest position into typing position, by a flexible connector 9 which is attached thereto at 10 and may consist of a band or cable preferably made from a flexible synthetic material like nylon.

`In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 said connector 9 stretches from said point of attachment 10 towards a guide pulley 11 to which it may be secured at 16 for example by a screw, continues loosely around a driving pulley 13 and is with its other end at 15 again secured to the guide pulley 11. The driving pulley 13 is mounted upon a continuously rotating shaft 14 driven, for example, by a not shown electric motor and rotates freely in the direction of arrow F within the loop formed by the connector 9 between its points of attachment 15, 16 to the guide pulle 11.

Blach type bar 3 is associated with and operated by a key bar 17 which is pivoted at one end at 18 in the machine frame,` abuts in rest position against a stop member 38 and carries at its outer end one of the customary specific keys 19. A knee lever comprising a pawl 21 with hook 22 and a control arm 23 is pivoted at 20 upon the Y 2,742,131 Patented Apr. 17, 1956 key bar 17. The hook 22 cooperates with tensioning means which temporarily tighten the loose loop of the connector 9 about the rotating driving pulley 13 to effect the typing stroke of the type bar 3. As shown in Fig. l said tensioning means comprise a rocking member which has the shape of a reversed T and is pivoted in the machine frame on pin 32. The upstanding arm 33 of said T- shaped rocking member supports at its outer end a tension roller 35 pivoted upon axle 34 and said roller 35 when pressed against the looped portion of the connector 9 will tighten the connector upon the rotating driving pulley 13 to be taken along by friction. The cross piece of the T-shaped rocking member which is substantially parallel to the key bar 17 is composed of the arms 27, 28. The end of the arm 27 engages the hook 22 of the pawl 21 and the arm 28 rests upon the support 39 being held in such resting position by the spring 30 which with one end at 29 is attached to said arm 28 and with its other end at 31 to the key bar 17.

An eccentrical stop member 36 is adjustably mounted in the machine frame upon axle 37 for cooperation with the control arm 23 which releases the hooked pawl 21 from the arm 27 of the tensioning means when the key bar 17 terminates its downward swing movement.

The device illustrated in Fig. l will operate as follows:

When the key bar 17 is depressed by exerting pressure upon key 19 the hook 22 of pawl 21 engaging arm 27 of the T-shaped rocking member will cause the same to tilt in clockwise direction about its axle32 and the roller 35 mounted on the outer end of arm 33 will press against the slackened portion of the connector 9 thus tightening the same upon the rotating driving pulley 13 for frictional cooperation therewith and causing the connector 9 to swing the type bar Sinto typing position relative to platen 1. Meanwhile the depression of the key bar 17 has so far progressed that the control arm 23 strikes the previously adjusted stop 36 causing the pawl 21 to tilt with said arm 23 and to release arm 27 of the T-shaped tensioning mem ber which will immediately return into the shown rest position by the action of spring 30. Thus the tension roller 35 retracts from the connector `9 which resumes its slackened position around the drive pulley 13 and ceases to pull upon the type bar 3 permitting the same to return into the shown rest position by the action of spring 6. When nally the key 19 is released the key bar 17 will swing back into the initial rest position by the action of spring 30 and the hook 22 on pawl 21 will reengage the arm 27 by the action of spring 24 which is attached to said pawl at 25 and to said key lever 17 at 26 readying the device for the next operation.

in the modified embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2 the llexible connector 9 embraces loosely the driving pulley 13 by a full turn in the direction of rotation of said pulley as indicated by arrow F. One end of the connector 9 is linked at 1li to the type bar 3 to operate the same in the manner described above with reference to Fig. l. The other end of said connector 9 is linked at 40 to the left arm of a tensioning lever 41 articulated about axle 41 and mounted above and substantially parallel to the key bar 17. Said left arm contacts in rest position a stationary stop member S1 and is provided with a stud 56 which cooperates with a pa'wl 34. The other i. e. the right arm of said tensioning lever 41 is connected to the key bar 17 by a spring 43 attached thereto at 42 and 44, respectively. The said pawl 5d is connected to -the type bar 17 by a spring 57 which tends to hold said pawl 54 in engagement with said stud 56, said pawl 54 forming one ann of a knee lever of which the control arm 54 spring 43 willreturn the tensioning lever el into its initial' horizontal position.

This., second. embodiment. will operate therrst embodiment described before.

When the-keybar 17 is depressed byexertingpressure uponkey i9 the hooked pawl Sdcngaging-tht stud, 56 upon the left.

similarly. as

contactingdrivingpulley 13 and springe will return they type bar 3 into the shown rest positiom Wheninally the key l@ is released the key bar i7 will swing Vback into its shown initial positioniby the actionof spring 43 and thel hooked pawl 54 willl reengage the stud 56 under the action of spring 57 connecting rsaid pawl 54 and key lever ll thus readying the, device ,for the next operation.

For good operation of the'deviceit, may often be advisable to hold theloose loop of.= the connector 9 substantially concentrical aroundthe driving pulley 13. This may be achieved by a `skeletonframe or cage,v formed .for example by parallel rods 52, which will confine the.

said loop and limit itscatension.

Also it, may the connector 9, evliilethe-deviceisl at rest, to the loop surrounding the driving pulley i3, This may be accomplished by elastic meansI such as a spring 53 attached with' on eachside of driving pulley elastic means 53 upon the its ends ,to the connector 9 13.- The force exerted by said connector 9 should, however, than` the effort exerted onrtype bar 3 by spring 6'.V

Finally, it will. be well understood that the rotational speediofrthe driving pulley 13 may be variable oradiustable in order to control the rapidity or suddeness of the swingrnotion of the type bar Si, and that the disclosed operatingmeans may be applied not only to thetype bars and-key barst but also to the control of the elevation oi the cradle of type bars, to the control of tabulators and to the control of any other movable element-of typewriting, calculatingand similar machines;

While specific embodiments of my invention have been.

shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of my invention itV will be understood that. my invention may be otherwise embodied without departing` from such` principles.

What l claim asmy inventiongis:

l. ln a power operated typewriter including a drive shaft,aV plurality of swingable type bars and of depressible key bars, and operatingmeans Vbetween each key bar andA each type bar, the improved operating means comprising in combination ilexible bandlike connectors each linked with one end to one type bar to effect the typing stroker thereof, a driving/pulley for each of said connectors rotating with said drive shaft, each connector loosely wound aboutv its driving pulley in the direction ot'rotation thereof,'tensioningfmeans for each connectory actu-ated by theT key bar when` the same` is being depressed to tightenvthe: connector about its pulley for friction-al cooperation togettect the typingstrokeof the releasing meanswautomatically freeing said tensioning means to reloosen the tightened connector from its pulley when therespective key bar. is-` depressed by a` predetermined adjustable distance prior to reaching its lowermost positionthus permitting the type bar. to return into its rest position.

.arm of Vthe tensioningleverl will cause.. thesame. to tilt in anticlockwise directionabout itsaxle..`

into typing lposition relative be of advantage to, localize the slack of remain constantly lowery type bar, and

2. A power operated typewriter as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least some offneighboring pulleys of said operating means are integrated into a drum.

3. in a power operated typewriter including a drive shaft, a plurality of swingable type bars and of depressable key bars, and operatingmeans between each key bar and each type bar,l the improved operating means Acomprising in combination flexible bandlike connectors each' linked withoneend to one type oar toeffect theV typing strokethereof; a driving pulley foreach ofV said connectors rotating with said drive shaft; a guidepulley preceding .each driving pulley; theother endof the .connector attached to said guide pulley leaving a loop or slack loosely embracing the driving pulley in thedirection of rotation thereof; tensioning means for each connector actuated by the key bar when the same is being depressed to tighten the said loop of the connector about the driving pulley for frictional cooperation to effect the ,typing stroke ofthe type bar; andreleasing means automaticallyfreeing, saidtensioningnmeans,toreloosen the tigthened loop of` the-connector fromthedrivingpulley when therespective keybar isidepressed by a predetermined adjustable dis,-r tance prior to reaching its lowermost position thus per mitting the type bar to return into its rest position.

4. A power operatedtypewriter as claimed inclaim 'lv wherein at least some of neighboring guide pulleys and driving pulleys, respectively, of said operating means are integratedinto a drum.

5. In a power operated typewriter includingA a drive shaft, aplurality ofvswingable type bars and of depressablekeyfbars, and operating means betweeny each key.` bar,` and eachwtype bar, kthe improved operating means comprisingrin combinationv flexible bandlike. connectors; each,V linked with one end to one type bar to effect the typing stroke thereof; a driving pulley for each ofsaid Connectors rotating With said drive shaft; each connector loosely wound about its driving pulley in the direction ofrrotationthereof; tensioning means for each connector including a three-armed rocking member havingthe shape Y ofa reversed -T; the two-armed cross piece thereofbeing substantially parallebto thek key bar; a. tension. rollerA rotatably mounted at least near the free endof the upstanding arm of each rocking member for-cooperation with; the respectiveV connector; a pawl pivotably mounted oneachlkey bar; said pawl cooperating with one. arm; of the crossepiece of one rocking member to swing and press the teusiongroller against the connector to tighten the-,same around its driving pulley; and releasing means for each pawlfautornatically freeing the same from said-,crossl piece top ermitthe said rocking member with the saidtension rollerA to returngtOits-nitial inoperative position thus re.- loosening the tightened connector from its pulley when the` respective; key baris depressed by a predetermined adjustable distance prior to reachingv its lowermost posif., tion and permitting thetype bar to return into its initial restposition'.

6. In ak power operated typewriterrincluding a drive` shaft, a plurality of swingable type bars and of depress. able` key: bars, and operating means` between eachl Vkey bar andy each type bar, the improvedy operating means comprising in combination flexible bandlike connectors.

eachalinkedf with one end to one type bar to effect the,

typingy stroke thereof; a; driving pulley for each of said connectorsrotating-withl said drive shaft; each connector loosely wound aboutk its driving pulley in thedirecticyriIv of' rotationthereof; tensioningmeans for each connector. includinga vthrce-,arrned rocking member having vtheshape of areversed'l'; the two-armed crosspiecefthereof beingsubstantially parallel to the key bar; a tension rollerA rotatably mounted l at least near the free Yend of theupstandinggarrnHofeach rocking member for cooperation.ny with theirrespective;V connector; a knee lever pivotably. mounted oncach key lever,- one arm of.. saidkneelevenI forming .an upstandingpawl engaging one arm of thecijosgs.A piece oftherespectiye-rcking member to swing andfpress.:

the tension roller against the connector and to tighten the same on its driving pulley; an adjustable stop member cooperating with the other arm of said knee lever when the key bar is being depressed to release the pawl from its engaging position and to permit the said rocking member with the said tension roller to return into its initial inoperative position thus reloosening the tightened connector and permitting the type bar to return into its initial rest position.

7. In a power operated typewriter including a drive shaft, a plurality of swingable type bars and of depressable key bars, and operating means between each key bar and each type bar, the improved operating means comprising in combination flexible bandlike connectors each linked with one endto one type bar to effect the typing stroke thereof; a driving pulley for each of said connectors rotating with said drive shaft; each connector in rest position loosely wound about its driving pulley in the direction of rotation thereof; a plurality of swingable tensioning levers, each lever mounted above and substantially parallel to one key bar; a plurality of flexible bandlike connectors each linked with one end to one type bar and with the other end to said tensioning lever; a driving pulley for each connector rotating with said drive shaft; a loop in each connector loosely embracing the pulley cooperating therewith; means operated by each key bar to swing the respective tensioning lever in order to tighten the connector around its driving pulley; and releasing means automatically freeing each lever from its outswung position to reloosen said loop around its pulley when the key bar is being depressed and thus permitting the type bar to return into its initial rest position.

8. In a power operated typewriter as claimed in claim 1, elastic means localizing the slack of the connector to its portion embracing the driving pulley.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,043,393 Pasinski June 9, 1936 2,506,444 Dodge May 2, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 342,549 France Apr. 22, 1904 

